Reissued



Patented Jan. 24, 1922.

LQLUQ..

INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Am uumrnrnrnn.

Monaco.

SSUED l speeincation of Letters raient. Patented Jan, 24, 192gApplication filed August 10, 1921. Serial No. 491,088.

To all whom it may concern: y

Be it known that I, ROBERT W.,HARDIE, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of West Englewood, in the county of Bergen and State ofNew Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in AirHumidifiers, of which Ithe following is' a specification.

The invention relates to that class of air humidifiers whereby vapor isdischarged into an indoor atmosphere to increase the relative humiditythereof, and is'in part a division, and in part a continuation, of theinvention contained in the a plication filed by me in the United Statesatent Office on\7 the 20th day of August, 1920, Serial v.Number 404,951.

The invention is designed primarily to provide means for discharginginto an indoor atmosphere, vapor in such a condition that"it may bereadily taken up by said atmosphere and become diffused therein.

Efforts have heretofore been made to in crease the relative humidity ofan'indoor atmosphere by projecting steam or vapor into such anatmosphere, through a head or casing provided with layers of absorbentmaterial of various kinds.

Those efforts have provedv unsuccessful for the reason that suchmaterial has no well defined apertures or orifices for steam' or vaporto pass through, and consequently the vapor condensed ony the absorbentmaterial instead of passing therethrough, and saturated said materialwith the water of con-1 densation. y

A secondary vaporization from the outer surface of the absorbentmaterial takes place under such conditions, without any of the originalvapor passing through said material, but the revaporization produces nopractical humidifying effect whatever.

Such efforts moreover, have proved impractical for the further reasonthat absorbent material, saturated with Water at a high temperature, andexposed to the atmosphere forms a positive incubating bed for injuriousbacteria.

Other efforts have been made to provide devices of that character havingtheir interior filled and packed with material more or less absorbent;such as'sponge, cotton, gauze hair and felt.

Such efforts have likewise proved unsucthat the filling of the casingwith such material leaves no room for the-expansion of the steam orvapor within the casing or for the return of the water of Condensationfrom the steam or vapor w ich is ordinarily produced in devices of t atcharacter.

The main object of this invention is to provideN-a device whereby Steamor vapor under initial pressure or impulsive influence may bereduced asnearly as possible to atmospheric conditions Without lcondensation, orrevaporization, and discharged noiselessly into an indoor atmosphere insuch condition as to be readily absorbedV and diffused therein.

A further object or purpose of the'invention is to provide means forcontrolling the quantity o vapor discharged into the atmosphere, so asto regulate, within limits, the relative humidity of such anatmosphere..

The invention further contemplates the idea of providing a device, ofthe character disclosed, which may be constructed of a single unit orstation, 'adapted to be placed in the basement or hall of a. dwelling orother structure, to discharge sufficient vapor to condition theatmosphere of the entire house or structure, or which may be embodied insmall units so as to be placed in separate rooms or subdivisions of ahouse, or other building. i

It is of the greatest importance in some classes of buildings andespecially in hospitals to be able to produce in some parts of thebuilding, a differentrelative humidity from that of other parts of thebuilding, and one of the main objects of the invention is to providemeans for so doing.

With the foregoing, and other objects in view, hereinafter sta-ted, theinvention conslsts of the construction hereinafter described, andillustrated in the accompanyherein illustrated and described.

ln the drawings, in which similar reference numerals indlcate s1m1larparts throughout the several views, Figure 1 1s 1n part a verticalcentral cross section and in part a segmental side elevation ofl adevice embodying the invention in one of its forms.

Figure 2 is a plan of the device shown in ,Fi re l.

. in Figure 1 with a conditioningmember of modified construction.

In carrylngout the invention a body or casing of any suitable. generalconstruction may be used. In the instance shown, a base 1 is providedwith an inlet aperture, 2 adapted to be connectedwith a source of steamor vapor supply, an annular shoulder, 3 and a flange, 4 having athreaded engagement with the lower end of a shell 5;

The top of the casing may be provided with any desired number ofdischarge apertures 6.

When used with means for controlling the outlet of vapor from saidcasing, the apertures are preferably arranged in a group at vaporconditioning member, designed to re.

one or more portions of said top, leaving the remainder of said topimperforate".

When ldesired to regulate the discharge of vapor from the casing, adischarge control plate 7 is mounted upon the apertured top of thecasing by means of a pivot pin-or stud 8, and thereby adapted to have arotary l'movement on 'said pin or stud. The discharge control plate 7 isprovided with an opening or cutaway portion 9 having an areaequal orgreater than to that occupied by a group of apertures of the top of thecasing. The late 7 is also preferably provided with a dldpending handoperated flange 10, loosely engaging the upper part of the body of thedevice, by means of which the plate 7 may be adjusted, so that theopening thereofmay be arranged over an imperforate portion of the top ofthe casing, or expose any desired number of apertures, and therebycontrol the quantity of vapor passing out of the casing. l

Within the casing there is contained a duce the initial pressure, andretard the passage, of vapor therethrough, so that the vapor whendischarged from the apertures of the top of the casing will be as nearas possible of atmospheric condition, thereby enablin the vapor to` passout of the device noise essly, and in a condition to be readily absorbedby the atmosphere without condensing on objects in the immediatevicinity of the device.

When the device is connected with a source of vapor supply, in whichthere is but little or no initial pressure, orY positive impulsiveeffect or infiuence, the conditioning member may consist of a pluralityof layers of woven wire mesh material, 11, laid one upon another.

When so arranged parts of adjacent layers ofY wire mesh will be incontact with each other and other parts in separated relation, therebyforming spaces between the respective layers communicating with theapertures or mesh of the layers themselves.

As the vapor passes through the body of'layers, 11 it is combatted bythe strands of thematerial, its direction is turned first in onedirection, then in another, which, together with the friction producedby the wire strands of the member, reducesv the initial pressure of thevapor, and permits the vapor to pass noiselessly out of the device, andto be readily taken up by, and diffused into the indoor atmosphere.

The layers of wire mesh material are prefe'rably supplemented, forordina-ry puroses, with one or moreperforated plates or disks 12, at thevapor entering end of the conditioning member.,`

Those plates cause a portion o f the vapor within the body of the casingto be divided out of, and separated from, the remainder of the body ofvapor and prevent the vapor within the casing from coming in contact, inthe first instance, with the entire surface of the layers of Wire mesh.The result is that when the vapor passesl through the openings in theperforated plates, the vapor has room to expand and spread within thebody made up of the layers of mesh material, thereby aiding in reducingthe initial pressure of the vapor. The combined spaces and openingswithin the conditioning body of the member thereby in effect form asecondary vapor expansion chamber. By reducing the number and size ofthe apertures of the plate 12, the expansion area within theconditioning member is relatively increased.

In cases where the device is, connected with a source of vapor supplyunder positive pressure or impulsive effect or influence, theconditioning member may preferably be constructed 4largely or entirelyof the perforated plates 12, as is shown in Figure 4.

In such cases the aperturesy of the respective plates are placed inalignment, but not necessarily in axial alignment, with each other,forming multiplicity of independent' continuous narrow apertures ofextendedlength, which produce a positive and continuous frictionaleffect on the vapor pass-v ing therethrough, and in that way materiallyreducing the initial pressure or impulsive influence or effect of thevapor. apertures that extend through the body of the conditioning membermay register with the discharge apertures 6 of the casing as` shown inFig. 4.

Some of the l The conditioning member may be secured in place within thecasing in any suitable manner, such as by means ofla tubular support 13,having its upper end bearing against the outermargin of the conditioningmember and forming a supporting shoulder therefor, and its lower endbearing against the shoulder 3 on the base 1.

rThe lower end of the tubular support is ypreferably made long enoughVto extend slightly below the lower end of the casing wall, so that asthe wall of the casing is' lconditioning member to holdl the layers offoraminous material pressed .closely together, it is not essential thatthe shoulder be made adjustable relative 'to the casing, nor is itessential that it be made independent of the shell of the casing.

To obtain the best results from the use of this invention in cases wherethe conditioning member is comprised of layers ofwire mesh fabric, it isdesirable that the conditioning member be placed with its dischargesurface close t'o the interiorsurface' of the casing, adjacent thedischarge openings;vso thatthe vapor, as it leaves the conditioningmember will pass directly from the conditioning member into theatmosphere to become immediately diffused therein-and not come incontact with any chamber'or passageway intermediate the conditioningmember and the pointwhere the vapor finally leaves the' device,.so as toavoid any condensation ofthe vapor after it leaves the conditioninmember. j j v In; or er to reduce to substantially atmospheric,conditions, steam or vapor having a positive pressure or impulsiveinfiuence,.it is necessary to vmake the openings or apertures of theconditioning member quite ne land minute'.

.In such cases, because of the minuteness of the apertures in theconditioning member.

ifany water of condensation forms a'fter the vapor passes through theconditioning member, it will not readily pass back through theconditioning member and at the same:

time permit vapor to pass through the conditioning member in theopposite direction.

rThe water of condensation in such cases, will remain on the outersurface of the conditioning member, and in a measure seal the openingsthereof, and cape of vapor therefrom.

It is important therefore that the vapor passv freely and directlyfrom'the discharge surface of the conditioning member into theatmosphere to prevent condensation in or on the device after the` vaporhas passed through the conditioning member.

The purpose of the apertures 6 of the top4 'of the casing 5 1s to'enablethe vapor discharged from the device to be controlled by p-revent thefree e's.

means ofA a discharge control plate 7.

Neither those apertures nor the top of the casmgform any part of theconditioning member',"and in cases where lit is not desired j to controlthe.discharge of vapor from the y conditioning member, the top of thecasin with its apertures 6 is not essential and where the conditioningmember or the upper part thereof, is comprised of apertured `plates 12,as shown in Figure 4, the aper- .tured top of the casing is notessential even when it is desired to control the amount of 7 vaporpassing out of the conditioning memer. i

By placing the l conditioning member at the discharge end 'of vthecasing the dischargedvapor is not only` preventedv vfrom condensing onthe device,but in addition thereto an expansion chamber is providedybetween' the, inlet aperture andthe conditionmg member which permits thevapor entering .the casing to expand and lose some of its 1n1t1alpressure, or impulsiveA inuen'ce.

ln' addition .thereto such an expansion chamber provides for a freereturn toits source, of the water of condensation, due to the differencein temperature between that 4of the vapor and of the casing, the outer-165 surface of which is exposed tothe indoor atmosphere;

By j getting Vriti of the free particles *of water in theexpan'sionchamber, and' providing for the unobstructed. return of the water ofcondensation .,froml said chamber and such heavily laden vapor as is toocoarse tokpass through the conditioning member, only vapor in its mostlfitting condition passes into the conditioning member.

It is uite important that some means vbe provided forcontrolling thedischarge of vapor into an indoor atmosphere'. At certain times orseasons of the year, as in the springbr fall it is necessary to have'some heat, yet the outdoor atmosphere ma be unusuallymoist and the air-supplied with a;

high per cent of humidity.

At suchl times it is gnot necessary to supply an indoor atmosphere withthe same amount l of humidity in proportion to the quantity of heatsupplied, as at other times, therefore means should be .provided forlimitingy the quantity of vapor discharged into the atmosphere indoors.

On the other hand, there are times and 35 mesh material of a finer andcloser mesh atseasons When the outside atmosphere is lacking in theaverage amount of humidity relative to its temperature, and in suchcase, the discharge of vapor indoors should be regulatedx or controlledso as to provide a greater discharge of vapor in proportion to theamount of heat lSupplied, than at other times.'

Again in hospitals, and other places it is necessary to provide apercentage of relative humidity in one part of the building different-from that in another part of the building.

The means herein disclosed are Well adapted to control the indoorhumidity as a Whole, or by applying a'plurality of units in dii'erentparts of a building; the different partsmay be provided with humidityofthe relativity desired.

ln the constructions shown and described the layers of materialcomprising the conditioningl member are arranged in horizon; talplanes;y that is not however an essential feature of *the invention, `nor is it essential that the discharge apertures be formed in the top ofthe casing. Such construction is preferred, however, for by such meansthe movable plate 7 .may be brought directly and closely over anydesired number of apertures, thereby positively closing said aperturesagainst the escape of any vapor therefrom; and positively controllingthe quantity'of vapor passing out of the'device, intov the atmosphere.

It is preferable to make the layers of Wire the entering end of themember than at the discharge end, so asl to restrict the passage ofvapor at the .entering portion more than at the discharge portion.

The particular size of the mesh, or of the apertures of the layers ofmaterial making theconditioning member and the number of layers used, isnot of the' essence of the invention.'

- For most purposes ninety mesh and eightfv or ten layers of materialmay be used.

4Vhen apertured plates arev used the apertures of the plates may be ofabout one six? teenth of an inch or less in diameter, and layers enoughmay be used to make the conditioning lmember of one half an inch orvmore in thickness:

Instead of providing the inlet end of the device with an interiorlythreaded base, as shown in the drawing, that end may be provided with anexteriorly threaded stem and charge end of said casing, with aperturesof said member communicating directly with t-he discharge apertures ofsaid casmg, and aI discharge control plate mounted upon said casingandadapted to expose or cover said discharge apertures.

2. An air humidifying device comprising a/casing having an inletaperture at its lower end, l a vapor conditioning `member Within thecasing having a plurality of superimposed layers of non-absorbentmaterial provided With apertures extending from the interior of thecasing and exposed at their'outer terminals to the atmosphere, and a.discharge control plate mounted upon the discharge end of said casingand adapted to expose or cover the apertures of said conditioningmember.

3. An air humidifying device comprising a casing having an inletaperture at its lower end, a vapor conditioning member associated Withsaid casing having a plurality of superimposed apertured plates, thecorresponding apertures of the respective plates being in alignment Witheach other leading from the interior of said casing, and exposed attheir outer`terminals to the atmosphere, and a pivotally mounteddischarge control plate mounted upon the discharge end of said casingand adapted to expose orl cover the apertures of said plates.

ROBERT W. HARDIE.

Witnessesz l A. Y. CONGAN, A. E; GErssENsET'rER.

